CVE-2014-6815 in Vouch!
Summary
by MITRE
The Vouch! (aka com.voucherry.voucherry) application 2.1.6 for Android does not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6815 affects the Vouch! mobile application version 2.1.6 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and backend servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism where it fails to perform proper certificate chain validation and hostname verification. This weakness allows attackers to intercept communications by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The implementation bypasses standard security protocols that should ensure certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities and properly validated against the server's hostname. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation that directly enables man-in-the-middle attacks, where attackers can establish fraudulent SSL connections and decrypt sensitive information transmitted between the mobile application and servers. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for secure communication channel protocols, as it undermines the integrity of encrypted communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive surveillance and data exfiltration capabilities for attackers. Mobile users interacting with the Vouch! application become vulnerable to credential theft, session hijacking, and sensitive information disclosure including personal data, financial information, and business-critical details. The attack vector typically involves network-based interception where adversaries position themselves between the mobile device and target servers, presenting forged certificates that the application accepts without proper validation. This creates a persistent threat where users remain unaware of compromised communications, as the application continues to operate normally while silently transmitting data to malicious endpoints.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms within the application to prevent acceptance of untrusted certificates. Security patches must enforce strict X.509 certificate validation including chain of trust verification and hostname matching against certificate subject alternative names. Organizations should implement certificate transparency monitoring and consider adopting secure coding practices that align with OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for mobile application security. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of cryptographic implementation reviews and emphasizes the necessity of following established security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and validation. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar implementation flaws in mobile applications, as this vulnerability represents a common pattern in insecure mobile cryptographic implementations that require immediate remediation to protect user data integrity and confidentiality.